Kiefer Sutherland will visit the Los Angeles Times on Thursday at 2 p.m. PDT to discuss “24” and other dangerous topics. If you have a question for him, tweet it using the hashtag #AskLATimes.

Here’s a transcript of the chat.

How Kiefer felt about the character at the end of its run
I think with television you require a balance and really need to have an objective opinion of how long you’re going to take something. The last thing you want to do is have a fantastic seven years and ruin it with an eighth year – or an eighth year and ruin it with a ninth year. The circumstance of the show is not going to change, it’s not going to turn into a musical, and Jack Bauer is not going to have a great day. So there are certain inherent elements of the show that are going to be repetitive, and how long will an audience be able to accept that? And I’m sure there are people that really liked the show through six years and then decided they’ve had enough. So I was very aware of that, and for me, it felt like it was time to move on and try other things.

But then when Howard Gordon, the lead producer on 24 and head writer, talked to me about doing an abbreviated season, 12 episodes instead of 24, for this past ninth season, I was thrilled about that opportunity. As an actor, I feel the character changes so many times in such small ways from season to season that it was always interesting for me to play. The character is a really good friend of mine. It was a hard thing to let go of. So when the opportunity presented itself I was thrilled to be able to do it.

Having said that, I don’t think I was ever more scared doing 24 than I was in the ninth season. Because we had managed in eight seasons to leave a legacy of the show that was still positive, and to start a ninth season meant you were potentially jeopardizing that. And that was difficult. Jon Cassar, who was the lead director of that season, who was also the lead director from seasons 2 through the end, he felt that sense of responsibility as well. We were very happy with the outcome of the show for ourselves, but we were even more thrilled that the audience response was as positive as it was. It was nerve-y to say the least.”

24 movie
“I think the movie would’ve been interesting, and I think the movie would’ve been interesting on a lot of levels had we done it in a more timely fashion.”

“What I thought would’ve been really interesting, is if you had the series running and in the break [between seasons] you would’ve had a film. And that either the series was a twenty-four hour advertisement for the movie, or the movie was a two-hour advertisement for the series. But they would’ve fed off each other. And I think ultimately that is going to happen. I thought it was a unique opportunity to use the movie to set up the story of the season, or use the season to set up the finality of the film, and that of course didn’t happen. I do see it happening soon. That’s really what excited me about making the film. The essence of the character and my responsibility as an actor would not change from the circumstances of making the film or making the show – it would change definitely for the director, certainly for the writer. My responsibility, I was just excited to play the character, so whatever medium it was going to be, I really do not pay a lot of attention to.”

Teri Bauer’s death (13:20)
“There’s a very funny story about that. That idea came from Joel Surnow who was one of the creators of 24. In the first year, halfway through, it was not something they knew they wanted to do or were even planning on doing until very late in that first season, and I had thought they made the worse mistake of all-time. I called Gail Berman who was the head of Fox television at the time and who is a dear friend. And I said Gail, I just want to go on record saying that is the worst decision ever and I don’t think you can expect an audience to watch twenty-four hours of television only to have him fail. She said okay, thank you. I said thank you for what? She said thank you for going on the record with that, but we’re going with it. And I was wrong, I was absolutely wrong.

I stood there at a television critics dinner where one of the critics stood up and said “You know, I hated you for killing off the wife, and then he said about two days later I thought it was the most brilliant thing I had ever seen on television and thank you for catching me off-guard.” And then I knew I was wrong. And I think that’s one of the things, I really do credit the writers for that, the show set a pattern for itself that if you thought something was going to happen, more than likely, we were going to try and make you wrong.”

How physically challenging was the role of Jack Bauer (14:58)
“Not as much when I started as it was when I finished (laughs). One of the jokes was that soon Jack Bauer is going to have to be in a chair and direct everything from there because he can’t walk anymore. In the first few years it was fantastic – I run a lot, I used to be a track athlete, and I used to kind of like out-running our camera crew and stuff like that in some of the shots. By about the fourth or fifth season I started to slow down a bit. The seventh and eighth season it was a lot of Advil. You can workout as much as you want, but joints stiffen and cartilage starts to go away. So it gets harder and harder every year.

But I have to say, in the beginning it was one of my favorite aspects of making the show. And again, to our crew, we had some of the most physical camera departments you’ve ever seen and so much of our show was handheld. So if I’m running full-tilt forward, you’ve gotta remember there’s a guy running really fast backwards. And he got hurt a bunch of times, both of them did actually. But there was something that we really enjoyed about it, the physicality of the show.”

Have you ever considered directing an episode of 24? (16:35)
“No I have not, the scheduling would’ve been impossible. The way we work which was actually very unique, we’d have one director direct two episodes. And while they’re directing those two episodes, another director would be prepping the next two. And because we didn’t want a lot of directors, we would use three directors and they’d rotate like that. It would have been impossible to properly prep the show while filming it. So it was really never an option.

Having said that, and really three or four directors – Brad Turner, Milan Cheylov, Jon Cassar, obviously Stephen Hopkins who shepherded the first season, I had great communication with them. I think we all very clearly knew what we wanted to do. And Stephen Hopkins really did form the show in that first year and we wanted to stay true to that.

But no it was never really an option, but having said that, given the length of production time and everything else my ability as an actor to have an open dialogue with the writers if there was something that didn’t make sense to me, or sometimes they’d want to clarify something that always went really well. And the directors and I worked together for so long, we had a shorthand which was quite remarkable. But no, and I don’t think I would’ve wanted to. I truly subscribe to the model of if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. It was not broken so I would’ve been horrified if I had gone in and directed one and it had not worked. So I was very glad to watch my friends go and do what they did.”

Was there ever any thoughts about lightening Jack Bauer’s mood? Because he was so burdened all of the time. (18:48)
“I think so, yeah. I certainly know there were discussions that never made it to script form. I think the most interesting thing that we could’ve probably done more, and I was the most resistant to it, was having Jack Bauer start off in a lighter place int he beginning of a season so he had more room to go.

But given everything he had dealt with, and these circumstances all took place in a day, the beginning of season 2 he had to start off in a very dark place: he had just lost his wife. Because of the serialized nature of the show, it was very hard to have him all happy and cuddly. I think the closest we got is season 5 where had had fallen in love with Kim Raver’s character [Audrey Raines] and there was real hope for a future and things had calmed down. But he had to always carry the burden of the prior seasons, otherwise I just think the continuity would have felt false.”

Are there any parts of Jack Bauer’s personality that you particularly relate to? (20:10)
“That I relate to? Well I relate to all of it, the positive aspects of his character and the negative aspects of his character. I’ll tell you the thing that I admired the most, and this was the real joy of playing the character, because as an actor you get to implement certain aspects of a character that maybe you would like to aspire to that you might not actually be. And it’s not that I don’t have integrity, but there was an integrity to this character that literally he would’ve rather died than not gone through with what he felt he needed to do. Like the bravest firefighter that doesn’t hesitate running into the building or those heartbreaking photos of the firefighter climbing those stairs in the towers that day. Jack Bauer was one of those guys. I had been lucky enough to never have been in that situation in my life, and I will always question whether or not I have the courage to be one of those guys or not. But Jack Bauer certainly was, so it was wonderful to play a character and want to aspire to be that kind of a person.

21:40 – Of all the films that you’ve starred in which film are you most proud of?
23:10 – What movie do most people come up and ask you about?

When we last saw Jack he was going off to [Russia]. If you could write the ending to Jack’s story, how would you end it? (24:25)
“That’s a great question. There were three versions, and the version that I had wanted the most was a really sad version where Jack Bauer and Chloe didn’t make it out and they died together very slowly and finally holding hands and that was that. And I felt given the tone of the show, that would’ve been really interesting. There was another very well made argument for why can’t it be happier? Why can’t it end with his family back in the states?

So we settled on a prison camp in China (laughs). I felt the tone of the character, it just could not be “The Sound of Music” you know? I think as much as people might want that for that character, I think if you had actually done it, they’d have been quite upset. And maybe upset with the other version too.

I think the hardest thing is deep in my heart of hearts, I never really wanted it to end. So it’s always difficult to kind of shape that. So I think I’m quite happy with the end result that he’s alive somewhere and I get to hold onto that. And you never know what’ll happen.”

Talk is all around about bringing 24 back again… (26:23 )
“Well I think they will. And again, you have to understand and I’ve said it from the very beginning, the idea is extraordinary – utilizing time in the context of a thriller as one of the instigators of that thrilling experience. So that as the clock’s ticking down, you just inherently panic because you know something’s going to happen. I thought that was incredibly clever and very smart. I think it’s a phenomenal idea and can apply to a variety of professions as well. I think for the idea to survive you would have to recast it and create a new set of characters, a new set of circumstances that would be fresh for an audience.

I think they are in fact talking about doing that and I wish them the best of luck with it. And again, I’ve always felt the idea was extraordinary.”

For so many people, you and Jack Bauer and 24 are inseparable. (27:32)
“Well, and I am incredibly grateful for that sentiment, but I can tell you that the Star Trek films did very well. And there are many other circumstances where given enough time, a new audience can be discovered and an old audience will come back. 24 was one of the great blessings of my life and my career. It changed my life, it changed my families life. Having had that kind of an opportunity, and I’ve said it all along, there’s so many fantastic actors out there… If they do in fact do it, I hope someone has as wonderful an experience doing that as I did.”

What do you think the legacy of this character is? Having a character like Jack Bauer on the pop culture landscape. (28:29)
“In reality it’s a television show. There were different times where for better and certainly for worse where it got confused as not being part of the pop culture, but as kind of a reflection on what America thinks we should be handling certain circumstances with. And that was never our desire.

Our desire was to create heightened drama and a heightened experience that was visceral and exciting. We were not trying to create foreign policy and how we think things should be handled. I’m a firm believer in due process, I do not believe people should have their knees shot out in an interview, but it’s great television. And I hope one day it is viewed for that.”

Related Posts

“Extra’s” Terri Seymour recently caught up with actor Kiefer Sutherland before he left for London to start filming 24: Live Another Day. Kiefer offered up plot details about the upcoming season of “24,” and where his character, Jack Bauer, stands with CTU analyst Chloe O’Brian, his most trusted ally.

Here’s a short interview we recorded of Kiefer Sutherland on Extra tonight. He talks about returning to the show, living and working in London, the paparazzi, and gives an exclusive set tour of the CIA building.

Tran

John

Justin

Looks Like Kiefer does not want to do more 24 and only return as a guest! Though he did mention that a 24 movie could happen! I did feel he knows something that he cannot say about the 24 spinoff. He did say he is happy that Jack is alive and we’ll see what happens. Any thoughts? Chloe mentioned that its hard to do 24 without Jack Bauer in some capacity

Justin

Looks like a 24 movie could come out before the 24 spinoff and maybe the 24 movie will close Jack’s Russia story in order for him to guest star in the spinoff. Realistically how can Jack guest star in the spinoff if he is in Prison in Russia? They would have to close that chapter for it to work. And talk of a 24 movie gathered steam in September 2014

Justin

I can see Kiefer doing the 24 movie and guest starring in the series. But I do think he is right that a refresh with a new cast, new stories would bring in a new audience and older audience and he would just guest star

John

Justin

I can also see the 24 spinoff happening first, then a 24 movie happening after season 10 and maybe the 24 movie is when Jack Bauer will return. Either a 24 movie will lead into the series or next season will lead into a 24 movie!

John

I think I would perfer the movie first. Have it as a set-up for the spin-off. The movie industry is a lot bigger that the television industry. If the film is a success it may gain 24 fans giving the next season better ratings.

Pat

A 24 movie won’t work, as unless it is done really cheap, it won’t make its money back. If they got gimmicky with it and threw in John McClane or something, then maybe, but a big maybe after that atrocious piece of crap Die Hard 5.

Still, it won’t work financially and if Fox loses money, they’d be less inclined to do anything more with it for a while. Movies based off of tv shows barely ever work out financially, even most of the remake crap of tv shows into movies bomb.

The first X-files film and the Stargate movies(direct to dvd) are the only ones that turned a big profit, big is relative for the later, that I can think of.

Besides, now it is the opposite, networks are making tv shows based off of movies left, right and center.

Could a 24 movie be good? Yep. But will it make a profit for Fox to justify doing more? Nope. When you cross the medium barrier it rarely ever works out.

Mary

I think you’re right, though I’d argue that a film stuck between series of a television show could be profitable enough– X-Files: Fight the Future, for example. If there’s a connection to an on-going series, then it could make more sense. Right now seems like a terrible time for a 24 movie but if they had another limited event series first wherein we meet New Guy and Jack pops up later on in the day and that led into a feature film? That’s the kind of setup I felt like Kiefer was suggesting they were considering– letting the series do all the prep work and then arriving at a feature film that picks up where one series left off, then letting that film open the door for plot into the next series. That has a shot at working. The biggest problem has always been that you can’t do a film that isn’t in real time or else it’s not 24 but how much can you do in real time in a 2 hour long movie? If the movie only ever has to accomplish small potatoes in the overall story of 24, it’s do-able. Redemption proved just how do-able.

Pat

Yeah, redemption proved it can be done well. That Premium Rush movies sorta did it and Nick of Time did it, only two that come to mind at the moment.

The way to make money as it would have to have a big enough boost and have people talking. That is what made X-files movie work so well, because it had 4-5 seasons of mythology and people had questions. They wanted to know and wanted to watch. A 24 movie right after season 5 would have done awesome, but now, while it still has a rabid fan base, it has kind of fizzled out from the public movie wise. Most watch it on dvd, stream it, etc. at their leisure.

If you were to make it now and put it up against a crummy Transformers film, transformers would win as it may be crap, but its a spectacle. I’m not sure 24 can meet spectacle status in the movie world, and sadly, that is what many movies need to turn a profit. Whether they are great or not. Action/thriller movies are having a tougher time these days too, Mad Max while making a ton, cost a ton more. And they don’t have the dvd market to help them like they once did, so we’re stuck with remakes, redos and a sequels for the most part.

a gimmick is the only way I can see it now getting the eyeballs it would need. No question it can be good quality though. Smaller screen is where it should remain if 24 wants to be profitable for Fox and last longer. I mean it will still come around even if a movie fails as the concept is too good not to use, it would just take Fox longer to come back to it. Again like x-files, after that second movie’s crap run Fox waited years before coming back to it. 24 doesn’t have the umph needed for a movie any longer. Can it again? Maybe.

Gerry Mander

I too thought Kiefer no longer wanted to play the character after his obvious reticence about coming back for a new season, but I fear I may have unfairly judged his motivations somewhat; judging by that interview, he doesn’t sound at all weary of playing Jack or the fact his career is defined by him, it’s more likely he still really wants to do a ’24’ movie before he hangs up the Jack-sack for good, and a movie would get him from Russia to the U.S. and set the scene for a new cast taking it forward if that’s the intended plan, closing out the Jack Bauer era and handing the torch to the next team… if that is the plan and it ultimately does pan out, I’d be cool with that, but we need to close Jack’s story first.

With regards the possible – and I emphasize the word possible – ’24’ movie, I think it’s got a real chance of happening at this point if the collective will is there to make it happen, from Kiefer’s comments about it happening soon, one would infer that the script is already being worked on as we speak, and with notorious cheapskate Tom Rothman no longer at 20th Century Fox, a ’24’ move with something like a $40m budget could be a real possibility, but we’ve been down this road before, so I’ll not hold my breath, that being said, a movie would be the perfect swansong for both Jack and Kiefer…

Gerry Mander

In the L.A. Times interview, Kiefer seems to be hinting at a possible ’24’ movie but in the Emmy panel event, he pretty much states explicitly he’s not coming back for more, so make of that what you will…

Justin

I think he meant he is not coming back for a full season. But he did not rule out a cameo or something. That something could mean the 24 movie! I also think a 24 movie would happen after the next season and lead into a new season after that. Or would a 24 movie be before the next season?

jackneedstobeback

Justin

Howard Gordon did say back in May that Manny Coto and Evan Katz are writing a script. I think they are writing a script for the next series of 24 then the movie would premiere after that and Kiefer would appear then. Brian Grazer said the show will most likely return as a series, then a movie but from Kiefer it sounds like a movie is being planned. He said it will ultimately happen and it will soon! How soon and when is the question. I think its more of a matter of when then if.

Maybe a movie will premiere first because it would be a great set up for the 24 spinoff. And if Kiefer does have a cameo in the 24 spinoff, he can’t without closing his story. Or the 24 spinoff will lead to the 24 movie and thats when we seek Jack get rescued from Russia, then he may possibly return for season 11.

Another option is Jack gets rescued from Russia at the end of season 10 that leads into a 24 movie.

Kiefer sounds like he is not ready to say bye to Jack Bauer yet, and more he just needs a break so they can tell more stories that are fresh. He sounds open minded to returning to 24 and he did say after season 8 that he would not play Jack Bauer again, then he came back for season 9. He does miss the character and loves playing him. The fact that Jack Bauer is alive means the door is open for him to return in the series or movie!

Justin

Justin

Also don’t forget we have that bridge scene from the season 9 DVD with Tony Almeida that is a teaser that he will return! I can’t see Tony being in the 24 spinoff, but I can def see Tony being in the 24 movie! And in September 2014 Brian Grazer was keen on a pitch for a film after the success of last seasons 24! I think the 24 movie will happen next year in the break, then a series after that in 2017 or 2018.

Justin

I mean why say the 24 movie will ultimately happen and happen soon! There is something that they are not telling us. Lets see how the whole thing gets developed and what happens over the next few months! I think we will get some announcements over the next few months or in the fall

Justin

I also think there is more story to tell for Jack in a 24 movie to close his story then in a series. In a series it would be hard to tell another story for him but they can easily do a 24 movie about Jack being rescued from Russia. Or they can do a novel about that story. If the writers were done with Jack they would have killed him or he would have lived happily ever after. Mary Lynn has stated that everything leads to Jack and Brian Grazer has said recently that Kiefer will be involved with 24 next season.

I do think they are developing next season and the 24 movie at the same time, but are not saying anything on a 24 movie as they want to surprise us and don’t want to get our hopes up in case it does not happen. But they can tease us with the series because the chances of the series happening are greater than the film.

It would be best to do a 24 movie now or after season 10 when talk about 24 is high rather than wait. A movie and series that feed off of each other would do well as a long term property for Fox!

Justin

The 24 movie and TV series are two different mediums, that it would be much more likely for Kiefer to do a 24 movie since its less time consuming. The series is where he will not play Jack Bauer! So far we r only hearing stuff about the series. I do think we will get a movie announcement when the spinoff gets announced. Dana Walden and Gary Newman and the movie studio all have something cooking up on both sides

Justin

Fox did say Kiefer is welcome to return and did say that it would be one installment without Kiefer to give Jack a break. So I think Kiefer will be a part of a 24 movie and future seasons. Kiefer is all about the storylines and writing. He feels right now the stories for his character are not compelling, hense a break. But a 24 movie and spinoff can change that and his mind and the right amount of money. He does love Jack! So I am sure it will work out in the end.

RonnieTheC

Justin…I hopeyou are correct but would notbet onit. lastnight kiefer said he wantedto do other projects and he was quite happy with the ending of LAD and said very directly that other than a possible cameo,he was never going to play JB again. I believe that. If there were definate plans for him to reprise the role, he would have said something like “you never know what the future could hold” or “I cannot close the door on playing Jack.” But his tone and words were far from that.

Gerry Mander

I’ll bet my bottom dollar Kiefer will be back as JB at some point, and not just a cameo either; if the new iteration fails to catch on, FOX will be at Kief’s front door with a dump truck full of money begging him to come back. Matt Damon’s and director Paul Greengrass’ upcoming return to the Bourne franchise (after both men vehemently asserted for seven years they would never do another) is proof that in Hollywood money talks and bullshit walks.

RonnieTheC

There is a difference between filming a 2 hour movie vs 8 or 16 hours worht of one season of television. And do’t you think that FOX has already offered Kiefer a ton of cash to do another season of 24?

Gerry Mander

I’m not sure what the difference between filming a theatrical movie and a television series has to do with my point – not trying to sound confrontational or anything, apologies if it comes across as such – but a ’24’ movie could be shot in 10 weeks whereas even a limited season takes five solid months, the former would be much easier for Kiefer to do at this stage than the latter as ‘Live Another Day’ clearly took it’s toll physically on him and that may be one of the reasons he’s making noises about not coming back short of a cameo appearance.

If FOX decided to make a ’24’ movie, gave it a reasonable budget, and approached Kiefer about one last turn as Jack, do you think he would turn it down? I don’t believe he would, but then again, I don’t think there’ll be a ’24’ movie at this late stage, if Kiefer holds to his statement about not coming back, Jack’s story ends with him being taken to Russia a prisoner… and quite frankly, that’s a really shitty ending, the character deserved so much better than that.

Catherine

I can’t agree with you more about the ending, as I said below this ending is not worthy of the Jack’s character , repetitive (“prisonner another day” ” good by Chloe, you’re my best friend”) and less inventive than the season 8 finale with the Jack’s face disappearing on the screen…only my opinion of course !

Jam

Phee

About the movie stuff, am I the only one who got the impression that he was talking about the evolution of TV shows as a whole medium and that the movie tie in felt inevitable across the board, not necessarily that he was talking about 24 specifically?

Love hearing him talk about Jack. It’s so clear how much the character means to him, I can only imagine what it must be like to be an actor with such an enduring and influential role as part of you and your work. Knowing how much he loves Jack, I can’t imagine it’s an easy decision for him to take a step back from him, which is probably why he hasn’t ruled out playing him again completely, even in the midst of saying he’s done. (It’s OK, Kiefer, we don’t mind that you said you were only back for a limited run, if you wanna change your mind, even a little bit, and go back on your word, we totally won’t hold it against you.)

I still can’t imagine how they could make a completely Jack-less season of 24 (and have lots of people watch it). Even if it’s Jack-lite, I feel like he’d still need to be a focal part of the story, even if they’re trying to transition to a new cast/setup for the future. One cannot just go cold turkey on Jack Bauer. They could put the audience on a lower dose to phase him out, but just cutting us off clean would cause angry withdrawal, (which we’ve already seen at the mere threat of having him taken away and replaced with a kinda-sorta-but-not-really substitute).

Now, if anyone needs me I’ll be curled up on the floor sobbing as I envision that alternate Day 9 ending of Jack and Chloe slowly dying as they hold hands.

Jam

I really would have preferred this ending to the one of 24LAD! Or a hand grenade being thrown into the helicopter! If Jack dies, we want to be with him and suffer with him. We do not want to imagine him rotting in some Russian Gulag!
As for people not watching a Kiefer-less 24 – it is very disappointing how such a lot of people on the boards are already looking forward to the “new” 24. . They just do not realize how much Kiefer’s charisma and skills as an actor and an executive producer made the quality of the Show.

Special Agent

Give Sutherland another 4 or 5 years of Broadway plays, a ‘mercy’ series like Touch (am I the only one who thinks its only reason for existing was to keep kiefer employed and employed at FOX) and movie failures like Pompeii… Jack will be back

24marathonman

Jam

It is said that the production companies of “John Henry Clayton”, the western he shot with his dad, did not pay part of the crew and the local companies. For this reason the Canadian trade union is sort of blocking this movie now.

Justin

I think Jack’s story is far from over. His story is just over in a lead role. But they can still continue his story in a guest starring capacity by having him do cameo’s! Tony Almeida and Chole will be back I am sure

Catherine

What I regret the most is the 24 LAD ending, which is not worthy of the Jack’s character. I’d have liked a death in a blaze of glory or a happy ending.
And for the spin of I’ll watch it only if Tony Almeida is in.

RonnieTheC

I do agree that the ending of LAD would be great ONLY IF there was a season 10 that continued Jack’s story. However, the other night at the screening, Kiefer said that he very much liked the ending of LAD as a good ending of the series. It causes the viewer to wonder about what happens to Jack, just as the viewer had to think about the death or non death of Tony Soprano. EVERYTHING Kiefer said the other night pointed to Jack never returning to TV or film unless it was a very brief cameo appearence. Unfortunately, I believe him.

Catherine

But at the season 8 ending, we wonder too about what happens to Jack and it was best filmed, more inventive with his face fading on the screen, the countdown to zero. Even the farewell to Chloé was more moving…

Trevor

Special Agent

I think the years from 2010-2013 must have, sort of, shocked him. After his role as one of the most well known and well liked leads of the 2000s decade, now his projects were mostly forgettable, poorly received and low rated…failures. I saw his show on Broadway he did with Chris Noth, it was pretty good and so was kiefer. But that was it, really. He probably thought his career looked a lot like it did before 24. So had Kiefer or fox managed to accomplish anything and capitalize on 24’s momentum we would have never had a season 9. in 2011, Kiefer fell off the map, FOX kept falling further into ratings peril and then both got together again 3 years after the finale, another year to went by and LAD aired and they had success. But again, neither network nor actor could capitalize on the momentum and positives they created. Its like FOX had no plans in the event it was the success it was. Also, Kiefer has been running his mouth from the day before LAD’s premiere saying ‘he’s done’. Kiefer has not been shy about his plans not to return, but why? He should never say never. It put a cloud over such a positive thing (and telling your fans ‘no hope its over, at least for me’, its just bad PR all around for 24 and fans of his. Its the role of a lifetime and the chance to continue something special on a network that seems to have nothing special. Not only that, but as the only person who can play Bauer he has leverage and could probably negotiate a lot of things many actors could only dream of. Kiefer imo knows that 24 and Jack will be his legacy. He has made his money and done it all over 9 seasons. He worries, or at least publicly says he fears when they do more they risk their reputation and their legacy. I’m sure they offered a less physical role (in the 24 universe I count jack at 53 or 54 in LAD) but does anyone want to see him for 12 eps in an office? Would anyone believed he got hired to a new job like “special advisor to the president’ or director of some agency or something? So he Physically doesn’t want to do it and mentally doesn’t want to do it. I think the only hope we have is more Kiefer failures the next few years, because eventually I think he will realize what 24 is versus the rest of his career and want to go out in a blaze of glory before he really is too old.

X

Yea, but when is enough enough? It’s gotta end for Kiefer sometime. The guy’s getting old. He’s worked his ass off as Jack Bauer. Live Another Day was supposed to be a final hurrah and closure for the character since they couldn’t do the feature film.

I’m just saying, its not easy to make 24. It’s easy for us to watch and enjoy it (while bitching and complaining that we want more).

Brad

It was *supposed* to be a final hurrah, yes, but it ultimately wasn’t. There’s not a single part of me that would feel satisfied with LAD as Jack’s finale which is what makes the thought of a ‘reboot’ without him very questionable indeed. On the other hand, Season 8 ended the original run as strongly and as conclusively as it could have at that stage in its elongated life.

I’m okay with Kiefer taking a back step in a future season. I think that’s necessary. LAD was…it’s hard to put a finger on where or how it fell short, but I think it’s formulaic nature had something to do with it. Kiefer is part of that formula and if the show is to continue it *must*be changed. But Jack has to play an important, if not central, role. Kiefer being off-screen could, as Mary has previously argued, give the character’s eventual appearance real gravitas again.

Special Agent

Maybe Kiefer was OK with finale, but fans were/are not. Why pick the ending that leaves the least closure if you know you are never coming back? In almost every interview prior to LAD he said enough was enough and this was the final run for him. So they had from May 2013 until Early Summer 2014 to get it right. It was too formulaic and repetitive. Start off with Jack working himself into the days events, yep someone wants to get to The President again. We caught terrorist 1 (Margot), there was a mole and then we moved into the second wave (Cheng). A major character was killed in the finale. There was no mention of previous characters or loose ended stories (Taylor, Logan, Kim, Tony, etc….). Seriously put one line in a script. While there was some great moments in season 9, the worst thing was it did not provide a satisfying ending. They also misused London (aside from Wembley Stadium). They couldn’t even film exterior shots in NYC for Season 8 (Those green screen shots of Manhattan were so bad) and could have filmed LAD anywhere in North America and got the same “not the London the tourist sees” feel. But they went all the way to London for everything 4 years after they would not go to New York for exterior shots. The ending of LAD left me wanting more and So did Season 8. After season 8 however, there was all that talk of the movie. The S8 ending meant to accomplish the same ‘wonder what happened’ finale in case the movie didn’t happen. So why Kiefer and the crew picked the ending they did out of everything they could have done, knowing it was likely Kiefer’s last appearance (and Kiefer knowing it was Kiefer’s last appearance) was just bad judgment. There was a lot of it to go around season 9 imo. Still was better then almost everything else on TV though.

Special Agent

I think enough is enough. Just too bad it had to happen this way. I look back to season 5, it was great from the first minute to the last. Season 6 got weird and weak after the first 6 episodes or so. The second half of season 7 with Jack being sick I thought was bad especially since they had two full years to write that season. Then the first 16 episodes of Season 8 were really weak, and for the first time 24 felt like a real shell of itself only to rebound for the final 8 eps (at least to me). While Season 9 was good, it was predictable and repetitive. The ending left a feeling of continuation possible and almost inevitable. I believe that seasons 6-9 were great TV, but the writers never learned from their mistakes and it was evident to long time fans and a big reason for the ratings decline. Season 6 premiered in January 2007 and its been a rocky road since then. I believe, yes it takes a physical toll for Kiefer to make 24, but creatively he cannot be impressed either. With the creative track record I would worry about my legacy too. I have a feeling they chose the ending they did just in case Kiefer would change his mind or make the cameo in another series, giving it ’24 credibility’. To me that was not very fair to fans who made them such a success four years after season 8, 7.5 years after season 6. I’m just an addict who wants more regardless. It should have ended in definitively in July 2014, but no one seems to know if it did and thats just frustrating.

Gerry Mander

I’m not sure what either of you expect to see in a ’24’ season than what we got; the show by it’s very nature is bound by the rules of physics and (relative) reality, it’s not a sci-fi show so we were never going to get time travel, or alien invasions, or alternate universes in ’24’ and there’s only so many ways they can write a new spin on potential scenarios (see also the James Bond series).

Personally speaking, with the exception of the largely botched Day 6 – which I contend happened because the writers were simply creatively and physically exhausted at that point – the rest of the show’s run has been extraordinary, including Days 7, 8, and ‘Live Another Day’ (not forgetting ‘Redemption’ either). I understand where Brad is coming from with regards to ‘Live Another Day’ because when it was airing, I was surprised by the fact that I wasn’t loving it like previous seasons, but I watched it again very recently and was really surprised at just how good it was and just how well it worked from beginning to end; it had purpose, propulsive momentum throughout, a tight narrative, strong characters, and real emotional weight… but that’s just my opinion.

It takes a hell of a lot more effort to make a season of ’24’ than to comment on it, and frankly, the complaints from some about some aspect or other of whatever season they didn’t like doesn’t take into consideration the fact that behind the scenes, the writing team were busting a gut to make it the best show they possibly could, you may not like or agree with every creative choice they made (Graem being Jack’s brother easily the most egregious and ultimately catastrophic misstep, in my opinion, derailing an entire season’s narrative by consequence), but you should at least appreciate the fact they have given you countless riveting hours of probably the finest television show we’re likely to see in our lifetime, just some food for thought.

As for the ‘Live Another Day’ ending, I still like it and still think it felt earned and was consistent, both thematically and emotionally, with what had preceded it and it left on a sombre note. Will it be Jack’s swansong? Who knows, but consider the fact that (as stated by both myself here and others elsewhere) for seven years, both Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass swore they would never make a fourth Bourne film – they are – and for thirty YEARS, Harrison Ford swore he would never again play Han Solo again – he has – so the idea that Kiefer will never again play Jack in anything more than a cameo role is one I find hard to believe, times and circumstances and people change, maybe I’ll be proved wrong, but if HoGo or someone else has a brainstorm of an idea in the relative near future about how to bring Jack back in a compelling new way, will Kiefer still say no and stick to his word?

jackneedstobeback

I have a feeling belcheck has/had a plan to save jack.. the moment jack takes off in the helicopter he tells cloe to get in the car in a hurry.. It seemed like he had a plan.. Sadley if kiefer is true about not returning.. we will never see what happens after this scene

jackneedstobeback

TJ

From the closing response he gave about wishing whomever takes the series over well and the Star-Trek example, it really does sound all but guaranteed that he’s done with the role – sadly. His responses about the training and action taking a toll on his body during S7 and S8 is also very telling – I can see him as he approaches 50 not wanting to endure that kind of physical wear-and-tear anymore.

At this point, I think it’s time for the die-hard fans to start praying for Carlos Bernard to express interest and shift the story to Tony – that would appeal to nearly all of the existing fans of the series while he’s still young enough to attract new viewers.

jam

When watching 24LAD last year, I had an uneasy feeling all the time. This was, of course, overlaid by me pleasure that the show had come back after 4 years. But when I had finished watching, this feeling came to the surface: that 24LAD by far was not as good as the “normal” 24-seasons. It was hasty, although suspenseful action, not leaving room for story-, let alone character-development. This way the quality was damaged, bigtime in my eyes.
I think Kiefer saw this, too. So I cannot blame him for his decision that he won’t return to 24, maybe only for a cameo or two. He has a reputation and the legacy of “24” to defend. Better go out on a high note and be missed than letting people say: “oh my God, not this show and this man again.”

X

If no more Jack Bauer, I really hope this 24, as we know it, is over for good. If they want to continue with the name ’24’, which they definitely will, I really want them to remake it totally with no connection to the original series. A new universe and have it be nothing to do with CTU or terrorism.

Have it as a thriller that deals with ordinary people, a woman, for instance, that needs vengeance on a corrupt police/government in her small town. Perhaps turning vigilante and planning to go on a killing spree, but it turns into an unexpected sort of chase that threatens people she cares about and blows up into something big that just explodes and ignites for a day.

You could make it a real-time science-fiction thriller that goes into outer space perhaps with a character that’s launched from earth strapped with a watch that lets him/her know what time it is. Have this character go on a journey (similar to Gravity and Contact) and transport to an alien world.

There are endless possibilities.

I’m 100% with Kiefer in that the format of the series is the real star. They made it about Jack Bauer and we followed about 10 separate days (with Redemption) in his life.
Remake it and follow someone else, but in no way connected to the previous 24 universe. Make it an unquestionable remake, even changing the logo and brand.

X

I think its extremely important to have a complete story that you can actually take a week or a month (or however long) to experience fully and without any worry of it continuing. I absolutely loathe any series that keeps going with no ending in sight. (I’ll never watch Doctor Who because of this. That story has been going since the 1960s and has no end in sight.)

John

XAM

LOL at the limited series category, it wouldn’t have had a chance in hell in regular TV Drama.

The only people bringing it for LAD were William Devane and Michelle Fairley, everyone else was ranging from bland to terrible – sadly I have to include Le Kief in that list, and I’ve had nothing but good things to say about his phenomenal acting in the past, but in LAD he was really off for me.

Gerry Mander

Speak for yourself, XAM dude, I personally LOVE Diamonds Are Forever, not because it’s a great Bond film or even a great film full stop, but because it’s so utterly bonkers, it has a sense of it’s patent madcap absurdity and just plays it to the hilt… it’s sheer entertainment value alone gives it the edge over the snorefest that is Thunderball for example.

I wholeheartedly believe Le Kief gave Live Another Day his all, and it showed, which is probably one of the reasons he doesn’t want to do it again, and who can blame him? I was thinking about THAT ending lately, and if the Russian representative who met Jack at the helicopter for the Chloe handover had said to Jack either before he gets into the helicopter or as it’s lifting off, “you will see your family again, Mr Bauer… just not for a while”, that would have given the character a closure of sorts, albeit a somewhat oblique one, but a closure nonetheless.

XAM

Diamonds Are Forever was actually my favourite as a small boy. In fact, Plenty Of Tools was my first ever crush.

Now as something resembling an adult, I’m put off by the way Connery turned into a big, bored fatty, and the way they brushed aside the ending of OHMSS and turned Blofeld into a flamboyant, cross dressing puff.

John

X

What about Chloe as the main character? Putting a life together for herself, getting things done, while searching for Jack, working with Tony. Perhaps Tony and Chloe as leads. Jack then shows up and he’s working as a mole for Russia (as eloquently described in Mary’s write-up). Conflict between the three.

John

I created a YouTube channel for classic short 24 clips. I only have one video up by now but I will try to get as many of the classics up as I can. Here is the channel, subscribe if you want https://www.youtube.com/user/24MegaFan/ Anybody have any suggestions of scenes they want me to upload?

John

Chlojack

Wonder when we’ll be getting updates on the production team and new cast. It seems like they’re running a little late for a summer 2016 premiere. Winter 2017 seems the most likely premiere date. These were the announcement dates during the pre-production of 24LAD:

24LAD officially announced (and Kiefer’s involvement): May 2013
Jon Cassar: June
Mary Lynn Rajskub: August
London location announced: October
Kim Raver and William Devane: October

MEOW!!!

Chlojack

MEOW!!!

More24

Jack Bauer – R.I.P. I’ve spent the past month perusing comments on this thread and am struck by the near unanimous loyalty to Kiefer’s character. “24” was a series that hooked me (and still does) because of its format, storylines, characters, breathless pace, and great investment by the host of writers/ producers/ directors into offering riveting television. “24” will return again only because FOX understands its a tentpole franchise with a built-in audience and money pipeline. I fully expect to see more info in the coming months on the next limited series event that promises a transition from a Jack Bauer-centric theme to new characters in the same, familiar “24” world. How the producers and writers make this happen will determine whether “24” continues in a new, full throated series or slips away like the lapping waves in “Lost”. Kiefer WILL return in a cameo role, tying Bauer into the new storyline, but only in a transitional sense. Some loose ends will be cleaned up, hopefully satisfying fans feeling the long suffering Bauer needs closure, either in death or some type of family reunion. But the focus will be on developing a new hero of the ages with intermittent help from old standbys like Chloe and/ or Tony. Can I get everyone who participates commenting on this site to savor every past and future moment “24” delivers? Let’s see what happens and judge the new product on its merits … give it a chance! Heck, even “Prison Break” will be brought back in a limited series by FOX: http://tvline.com/2015/07/14/prison-break-revival-plans-wentworth-miller-sarah-wayne-callies/ Likewise, the X-Files will return.

Erdem Karva

I’m from Turkey. I haven’t got news about 24 new season. I’m waiting new season but I think it will not begin. Isn’t it :(

By the way story didn’t finish. It should continue. Jack is here Moskow. President of Russia Yuri and Charles Logan still alive. They killed Renee Walker and Logan killed Palmer. Jack will kill them but when? I hope we see new season .

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